


Warm Voice

by rubylily



Category: Il Sole Penetra le Illusioni | Day Break Illusion
Genre: Angst, Family, Gen, Heart-to-Heart, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-10
Updated: 2014-01-10
Packaged: 2018-01-08 06:26:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,488
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1129383
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rubylily/pseuds/rubylily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akari wants to help Fuyuna smile again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Warm Voice

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for ladiesbingo, with family as the prompt.

Even though she had lost her mother, Taiyou Akari could still say she was happy. Along with her many pleasant memories of her beloved mother, she had wonderful friends and family, and she wanted to share her happiness with everyone she loved. Ever since she was young, she had always felt compelled to help others, and nothing brought her greater happiness.

On this early spring day, she was spending time with Fuyuna, the person most precious to her. Without the support of her cousin, she doubted she would be as happy as she was.

"Fuyuna, let's get some ice cream!" Akari said as she clutched Fuyuna's arm.

Fuyuna sighed. "If you keep going out for ice cream, you're going to get fat."

Akari let out a huff. "I don't eat that much!"

Fuyuna shrugged her shoulders, and a faint smile was briefly visible on her lips (all too briefly, Akari thought). "If you're offering, I won't say no."

Akari beamed. They had only started middle school a few weeks ago, and Fuyuna had seemed more and more stressed. Middle school was definitely a change from elementary, but she was so smart, so could she really have been struggling that much with the increased coursework? Or maybe it was because of that frightening incident at the mall a few months ago… In any case, Akari wanted to help Fuyuna feel better.

Looping her arm with her cousin's, Akari and Fuyuna made their way to the small ice cream stand at the end of the street. It was only the beginning of spring, and it already felt so warm out. It was a perfect day for ice cream, Akari thought, and she hoped Fuyuna would agree.

When they reached their destination, Akari was the first to rush toward the vendor, who greeted her with a smile. "Hello, Akari-chan, Fuyuna-chan," she said. "What would you two like today?"

"A chocolate ice cream cone with lots of sprinkles!" Akari exclaimed.

"Don't you think you're getting too old for something like that?" Fuyuna said with an exasperated sigh.

"But that's exactly why I have to enjoy it while I still can!"

Fuyuna adjusted her glasses. "I'll have the same thing as her," she said to the vendor.

The vendor let out a quiet laugh. "All right, you two." In no time at all, she had prepared the two ice cream cones, and when she handed them to the girls, Akari gave her the money needed to pay for them.

"You girls enjoy your ice cream," the vendor said.

"Thanks!" Akari said with a bright smile.

Fuyuna nodded. "Thank you."

The vendor smiled and waved, and with their ice cream in hand, Akari and Fuyuna headed toward a nearby bench and sat down. Akari immediately bit into her ice cream while Fuyuna ate hers more slowly, and silence fell over the two of them.

Akari didn't like it. Awkward silences were becoming more frequent between them, and she had no idea why. Fuyuna typically kept to herself, but never to this extent, and her eyes seemed so cold now. Akari just wanted to see her smile sincerely again.

"Fuyuna," Akari said as she laid her hand over her cousin's. "Is something wrong?"

"What do you mean?" Fuyuna hardly seemed to even glance at Akari.

Akari gulped; when had it gotten so difficult to talk to Fuyuna? "You seem down. Are you worried about something?"

Fuyuna took another bite of her ice cream, and even after she swallowed she didn't answer right away. "Nothing in particular."

A heavy sigh slipped from Akari's lips. Even she could tell Fuyuna was lying, but if she pushed too hard, Fuyuna might get angry. Even so, she had to say something. "Fuyuna, are you still worried about what happened at the mall?"

Fuyuna's eyes became wide, and she pulled her hand away from Akari's. "That was months ago."

"It wasn't that long ago." Akari frowned. "I still have nightmares about it too."

"Akari…" Fuyuna's gaze was entirely focused on the ice cream cone in her hand. "You rushed in without thinking to save that child. You could've died. How can you be so brave?"

Akari's fingers tensed. "Maybe it's more stupidity than bravery, but I just feel like I have to help others. I think that's what my mother would've wanted, and I don't want to disappoint her."

Fuyuna bit her lower lip. "If you had gotten hurt, I don't know if I would've been able to save you. I was so scared…"

"But we didn't get hurt." Akari tried to smile. "I felt like something was watching over us, and that's what saved us."

"You're too optimistic. Is that how you're able to be so strong?"

"Strong…" Akari didn't reply right away, mulling over those words. What did it mean to be strong? She always liked to think her mother had been strong, and she thought of the tarot deck she had inherited, remembering the meaning of a certain card. "Do you know what the Strength card symbolizes? The strength of one's heart and mind. It's that strength that helps us face challenges, and it doesn't have to be physical strength. Fuyuna, you're smart and creative, so I think that's where your strength comes from. You don't need to be fearless to be strong. I'm not as smart as you, so all I really have is my bravery."

"You mean recklessness," Fuyuna said curtly.

Akari let out an awkward giggle. "Well, that too." She took Fuyuna's hand into hers. "Fuyuna, remember that we're family. You can talk to me, and I'll give you a little of my strength. You've already given me so much of yours."

A slight smile came upon Fuyuna's lips. "Family, hm? Akari, I…"

"Oh, Akari-chan!"

Akari and Fuyuna looked up, and a girl with long brown hair rushed toward them - Yui, a classmate of theirs. "Ah, is it you, Akari-chan!" she exclaimed. "I'm so glad I found you! You know that reading you gave me yesterday? Well, I listened to your advice, and now I've made up with my friend!"

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Akari replied. "I was worried about you two!"

Yui's grin became even wider. "I told Akemi about you, and now she wants a reading too! Can you do one for her?"

Akari glanced at Fuyuna, whose eyes were narrow. "Ah, I can't do one right now, I'm sorry," she said to Yui. "I'm spending the day with Fuyuna. But how about tomorrow?"

"Oh, hey Fuyuna-chan," Yui said to Fuyuna, but before Fuyuna could respond to her, she was speaking to Akari again. "Okay, tomorrow it is. Akemi's waiting for me, so we'll see you then! 'Bye!" Without saying another word, she waved and dashed off, leaving Akari and Fuyuna alone.

"She's certainly happy." Akari laughed. "I'm glad for her and Akemi-chan. Fuyuna, you were about to say something, weren't you?"

Fuyuna adjusted her glasses again. She was doing that more often lately, Akari noticed. "You should finish your ice cream before it melts," she said to Akari. "When we get home, I'll help you with your homework."

"Oh, right! Thanks, Fuyuna!"

The two of them finished their ice cream in silence. Fuyuna was smiling, but Akari's heart still felt heavy, as there was something off about her smile. However, she was starting to open up, so Akari hoped she would feel better soon.

* * *

That night, Fuyuna couldn't sleep, so she sat at the desk in her bedroom. In front of her was a single sunflower in a glass of water, something Akari had given her. She had no lights on, as when she had turned on her lamp, her eyes had hurt so much, so she simply sat alone in the darkness.

She touched one of the petals of the sunflower. When she slept, dark thoughts invaded her mind, and she often had nightmares involving Akari, although she could never remember them clearly. It was almost as if someone was watching her whenever she was alone, and she felt sick to her stomach.

"Akari, everyone loves you, so why…?" Fuyuna whispered, and her words were lost to the darkness.

Maybe she could ask for a tarot reading of her own. But everyone else kept asking Akari for readings, even though it was just a game of chance.

_"I just feel like I have to help others."_

Those words repeated themselves over and over in Fuyuna's mind, and tears fell from her eyes. Akari's voice, so warm and bright, seemed so far away. "Then help me, Akari…" she begged. "Give me a little of your warmth…"

The shadow of darkness was cold, and her cries went unheard as the light she reached for slipped from her fingers. Why did she have to be trapped in darkness while Akari could be bright like the sun?

Fuyuna was always cold now, and she wondered if any light or warmth would ever reach her again.


End file.
